Iowa DOT News Release

Motorists Urged to Use Caution In Work Zones Over Memorial Day Holiday #iatraffic

Posted on: May 20, 2013

AMES, Iowa – May 20, 2013 – With many people taking to Iowa’s roadways for the Memorial Day holiday, the Iowa Department of Transportation and the state’s counties and cities want to remind travelers to use extra caution in work zones now in place to improve our transportation system.

Listed below are the main Iowa DOT projects that may have traffic impacts over the Memorial Day holiday. There are many more projects under way on state-maintained and county roads, as well as city streets, according to the Iowa DOT’s Office of Construction and Materials.

Roadway: Interstate 35County: PolkIn West Des Moines, the capacity improvement of I 35 between the I-35/I-80/I-235 interchange and the Raccoon River bridge is underway. Traffic is being maintained on two lanes in each direction using the existing northbound lanes and median sections constructed last year. I-35 southbound to Grand Avenue is closed. Grand Avenue to southbound I-35 is closed.

Roadway: Interstate 80County: PolkWork continues on I-80 near Altoona from the U.S. 65 bypass to east of the I-80/U.S. 65 interchange. The project includes reconstructing the Altoona interchange, capacity improvements to westbound I-80 and reconstruction of the 34th Avenue Northwest bridge over I-80. Two lanes of traffic on I-80 are being maintained in each direction during peak hours.

Roadway: Interstate 35/80County: PolkI-35/I-80 is being resurfaced from the west junction of I-235 north to Iowa 141. The asphalt concrete resurfacing is being completed at night to allow normal traffic patterns during the daytime.

Roadway: Interstate 235County: PolkThis project includes construction of a westbound I-235 auxiliary lane between the 73rd Street interchange and 63rd Street interchange in Windsor Heights. Three westbound traffic lanes on I-235 are being maintained.

Roadway: U.S. 65County: PolkThis project includes construction of two pairs of overflow bridges on U.S. 65 near the Des Moines River. The northbound bridges are currently being constructed and southbound bridges will be built in 2014. Traffic is restricted to a two-lane, two-way configuration in the southbound lanes during the 2013 construction season.

Roadway: U.S. 20County: HamiltonEastbound U.S. 20 from Iowa 17 to U.S. 69 is being reconstructed. Traffic is operating in a two-lane, two-way traffic configuration in the westbound lanes.

Roadway: U.S. 30County: StoryEastbound U.S. 30 is being reconstructed with a concrete inlay from just east of I-35 near Ames to the west side of Nevada. Traffic is operating in a two-lane, two-way traffic pattern in the westbound lanes of U.S. 30 for the construction season. Access to U.S. 30 from the south is limited to Sand Hill Trail on the west end and Story County Road S-14 on the east end during construction. Access to the north is limited to right-in, right-out operations at the intersections within the project limits.

North central/Northeast Iowa Roadway: Interstate 380/U.S. 20County: Black HawkReconstruction of northbound I-380/U.S. 20 is underway from River Forest Road in Evansdale east 6.6 miles to the east I-380/U.S. 20 interchange. Using median crossovers, traffic is shifted to the southbound lanes in a two-lane, two-way configuration. With this configuration, the northbound on- and off-ramps at exit 66 (Raymond interchange) are closed, as well as the northbound off-ramp at exit 70 (River Forest interchange). To avoid traffic congestion and delays, motorists are being urged to find an alternate route. Emergency detours have been established. Visit the project website for complete details at http://www.iowadot.gov/i380.

Roadway: U.S. 63County: Black HawkAs part of a two year project, U.S. 63 is being reconstructed from Newell/Conger Street to Donald Street at the north edge of Waterloo. Currently, this section is closed to through traffic for replacing a railroad crossing and completing utility work. This closure is expected to be in effect until early June. The detour route begins at the junction of U.S. 63 and U.S. 218, northwest on U.S. 218 to Broadway Street (westbound), west on Broadway Street to Airport Boulevard, north on Airport Boulevard to West Airline Highway, and then east on West Airline Highway to U.S. 63. Once the detour is removed, traffic will travel through the project in a two-lane, two-way configuration.

Roadway: U.S. 63County: Black HawkU.S. 63 is currently being reconstructed from just south of Hudson north to U.S. 20. U.S. 63 traffic is being detoured. The project is being constructed in stages with access maintained to all businesses and trail blazing signs placed to identify access points. Currently, the north section of the project is being reconstructed and traffic detoured beginning at the intersection of U.S. 63 and Iowa 58 at the south edge of Hudson, north on Iowa 58 to U.S. 20, and then east on U.S. 20 to U.S. 63. This section is expected to be completed by early September. When the south section is being reconstructed, the detour route will begin at the intersection of U.S. 63 and Black Hawk County Road D-46, east on Black Hawk County Road D-46 to Iowa 21, north on Iowa 21 to Black Hawk County Road D-35, and then west on D-35 to U.S. 63 in Hudson. This section is expected to be completed by early November.

Roadway I-35County: FranklinBoth the north- and southbound lanes of I-35 bridge repair work approximately 0.2 mile north of Franklin County Road C-25 is underway. Traffic is being maintained by single lane closures in each direction.

Northwest Iowa

Roadway: Interstate 29County: WoodburyI-29 in Sioux City continues to be reconstructed. Construction activities are scattered throughout the entire I-29 corridor from the Singing Hills interchange north. Through traffic is being maintained at all times. Visit the project website for complete details at http://www.iowadot.gov/i29/index.htm.

Roadway: Iowa 86County: DickinsonIowa 86 is being reconstructed in Dickinson County from Iowa 9 north to the Minnesota state line. The roadway is closed during construction. Traffic is being detoured on Iowa 9, U.S. 71 and Interstate 90 in Minnesota.

Roadway: U.S. 75County: PlymouthU.S. 75 is being reconstructed through Merrill. Traffic is being maintained in a two-lane, two-way configuration through the project.

Eastern Iowa Roadway: Interstate 80County: JohnsonMedian barrier rail is being installed on I-80 from I-380 to 1.5 miles east of the Iowa 1 interchange. Two lanes of traffic in each direction are being maintained through the project. Also, there is interchange reconstruction at the Dubuque Street interchange. Interchange ramp traffic is being detoured.

Roadway: Interstate 80County: JohnsonBridge deck overlay work on I-80 at the Oxford interchange (Johnson County Road W-38) is underway. Traffic is being maintained in each direction with two 10-foot lanes for westbound traffic and two 11.5-foot lanes for eastbound traffic.

Roadway: U.S. 30County: ClintonU.S. 30 (Camanche Avenue) is being reconstructed in Clinton from South 14th Street north to Fifth Street. Westbound traffic is being restricted to one lane from South 14th Street to Fifth Street.

Roadway: U.S. 52/61/151County: DubuqueThe U.S. 52/61/151 project, from the U.S. 52 intersection to the Grandview Avenue interchange, involves replacement of the existing bridges spanning Catfish Creek and pavement, as well as improvements at the U.S. 52 intersection, is underway. Traffic is restricted to a two-lane, two-way configuration with a 10-foot width lane in each direction through the project.

South central/Southeast Iowa

Roadway: U.S. 34 Counties: Clarke and UnionU.S. 34 is being resurfaced with asphalt pavement from Union County Road P-64 in Thayer to I-35 in Clarke County. The work will be completed this year. Traffic is being maintained by flaggers and pilot cars.

Roadway: Interstate 35County: ClarkeTwo southbound I-35 bridges over Squaw Creek are being replaced, one 2.5 miles north of Iowa 152 and another 0.7 mile north of Iowa 152. Traffic is restricted to a two-lane, two-way configuration in the northbound lanes.

Roadway: Interstate 35 Counties: Clarke and WarrenHigh-tension cable guardrail is being placed in the median on I-35 from the Clarke County line north to exit 52 (near St. Marys). Traffic is being maintained in a single lane in each direction.

Roadway: Interstate 35County: DecaturSouthbound I-35 from Iowa 2 north to the Clarke County line is closed for reconstruction. Traffic is being maintained in a two-lane, two-way configuration in the northbound lanes.

Roadway: U.S. 34County: WapelloU.S. 34 is being resurfaced from the Monroe County line east to Ottumwa. Through traffic is being maintained by flaggers and pilot cars.

Roadway: U.S. 34County: WapelloThe bridge superstructures carrying U.S. 34 over the Des Moines River in Ottumwa are being replaced. Traffic is restricted to a two-lane, two-way configuration on the eastbound bridge.

Roadway: Interstate 35 County: WarrenConstruction work started on a two-year project on southbound I-35 from 1.6 miles south of Cumming (Warren County Road G-14) interchange north to Iowa 5. A variety of traffic control measures are in effect, including traffic shifts; temporary lane and ramp closures with detours.

Roadway: Interstate 35County: WarrenThe southbound I-35 bridge over the North River is being replaced. Traffic is being maintained during construction using the existing north- and southbound lanes.

Roadway: U.S. 65County: WarrenPaved shoulders are being placed on U.S. 65 from Liberty Center north to the east junction of Warren County Road G-58. Traffic is being maintained by flaggers and pilot cars.

Roadway: U.S. 65County: WayneU.S. 65 is being resurfaced from the Missouri state line north to Iowa 2. Through traffic is being maintained by flaggers and pilot cars.

Roadway: U.S. 34County: Des MoinesPaved shoulders are being constructed on U.S. 34 in Burlington from West Mount Pleasant Street to Main Street. Traffic is being maintained with single lane and shoulder closures.

The Eighth Street bridge over U.S. 34 in Burlington is closed for repairs and traffic detoured.

The Central Avenue bridge over U.S. 34 in Burlington is being repaired and traffic maintained with temporary traffic signals and flaggers.

Roadway: U.S. 61County: MuscatinePaved shoulders are being constructed on the U.S. 61 Muscatine bypass from Iowa 92 to Iowa 38 using single lane and shoulder closures.

Roadway: Iowa 92County: Muscatine The Mississippi River bridge in Muscatine is being repaired. Traffic is being maintained with temporary traffic signals and flaggers.

Roadway: Iowa 22County: MuscatineMill and resurface work has started on Iowa 22 from east of Iowa 38 to the east corporate limits of Muscatine. Traffic is being maintained using flaggers and pilot cars.

Southwest Iowa

Roadway: Interstate 29County: PottawattamieI-29/I-80 from the Missouri River bridge in Council Bluffs east approximately 3 miles to the Lake Manawa/South Expressway interchange is undergoing grading, paving and bridge construction work. Through traffic is being maintained. Single lane closures may occur during off-peak hours.

I-29 from north of Council Bluffs to the Missouri Valley (U.S. 30) interchange is being resurfaced at several locations. Through traffic is being maintained in a single lane.

Roadway: Interstate 80County: CassThe eastbound I-80 bridge over Indian Creek at milepost 50 (west of the Marne interchange) is being replaced. Traffic is being maintained in a two-lane, two-way operation in the westbound lanes.

Roadway: Interstate 80County: AdairThe eastbound I-80 bridge over Middle River at milepost 85 (west of the Greenfield interchange) is being replaced. Traffic is being maintained in a two-lane, two-way operation in the westbound lanes.